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Horrible Shave!

Gnomeo0228

Gnomeo0228

Hi all,

I meant to post this yesterday but got busy. Anyways....

So, I'm in Taiwan right now for business, and Wednesday night had a shave....this was as bad or worse than my 1st time shaving with a safety razor.

Here is my kit:
$uploadfromtaptalk1461888619812.jpg

The brush is a synthetic that I have been using since the beginning which I got in the Trader Joe's wet shave kit. (Recently upgraded to an Omega 11137 awesome brush! )

As you can see from the pic, I have 2 soap samples: TOBS Sandlewood and Maggards Barbershop.

I went with the TOBS since I figured it would be easier to lather. So I used my finger and got about an almond sized dollop and put it in different places on my face (maybe I should have just put it in the brush like I did when I 1st used the Proraso) and went to town making a lather on my face

After using my omega for my last 2 shaves, I didn't realize how scritchy/scratchy that synthetic is, yikes! It opened up a pimple I had on under my chin. ...this shave is not starting out very well.

Now, I'm u used to getting a very yogurty lather when I face lather. That's what I like. Now, with the TOBS, it was sort of airy. It looked like lather porn, lol! But I was not convinced. I tried adding a couple drops of water, but didn't help. Maybe that's how this cream works? I don't know. ...

I had a brand new Astra SP loaded in my Merkur 34C. I cleaned the wax off, just like I have before. Started shaving and noticed it wasn't as smooth as my last shave.

The 1st pass was awful, specially on my neck. Terrible! 2nd pass was a little better, but not great. I did a clean up pass with the left over lather from the brush ala Nick Shaves...this is what I always do. I had such bad irritation on my neck.

So, after thinking about it for a couple days, here are the things I think could have been the cause of such a bad shave:

Not enough shave cream
Bum blade
Or, just a bad day.

Now, one thing I did not do, that I have done since day one, is strop my blade before use.

So guys, what do you think? I want to give it one more try, maybe tonight. I was thinking a new blade, strop it, and a bit more shave cream.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
 
6Cuda6

6Cuda6

Try the other soap and see what happens....i know it's probably me but certain soaps just don't work for my face and give me terrible shaves with my straight to the point where I tested my theory with the cheapest shave cream I could get and it gave me a better shave....so give the other a go and work from there.
 
K

Klematiz

Hm... Maybe it was the water? Is it very different from what you are used to? Hard/soft water? I guess the only one who knows what happen, is your face [emoji4]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
redman1

redman1

I'm not sure but I'm wondering if this shaving thing isn't over thought sometimes. Some days I get a good shave some days not. Same tools always. Operator error me thinks.
 
dangerousdon

dangerousdon

Gnomeo0228 said:
Hi all,

I meant to post this yesterday but got busy. Anyways....

So, I'm in Taiwan right now for business, and Wednesday night had a shave....this was as bad or worse than my 1st time shaving with a safety razor.

Here is my kit:
View attachment 655059

The brush is a synthetic that I have been using since the beginning which I got in the Trader Joe's wet shave kit. (Recently upgraded to an Omega 11137 awesome brush! )

As you can see from the pic, I have 2 soap samples: TOBS Sandlewood and Maggards Barbershop.

I went with the TOBS since I figured it would be easier to lather. So I used my finger and got about an almond sized dollop and put it in different places on my face (maybe I should have just put it in the brush like I did when I 1st used the Proraso) and went to town making a lather on my face

After using my omega for my last 2 shaves, I didn't realize how scritchy/scratchy that synthetic is, yikes! It opened up a pimple I had on under my chin. ...this shave is not starting out very well.

Now, I'm u used to getting a very yogurty lather when I face lather. That's what I like. Now, with the TOBS, it was sort of airy. It looked like lather porn, lol! But I was not convinced. I tried adding a couple drops of water, but didn't help. Maybe that's how this cream works? I don't know. ...

I had a brand new Astra SP loaded in my Merkur 34C. I cleaned the wax off, just like I have before. Started shaving and noticed it wasn't as smooth as my last shave.

The 1st pass was awful, specially on my neck. Terrible! 2nd pass was a little better, but not great. I did a clean up pass with the left over lather from the brush ala Nick Shaves...this is what I always do. I had such bad irritation on my neck.

So, after thinking about it for a couple days, here are the things I think could have been the cause of such a bad shave:

Not enough shave cream
Bum blade
Or, just a bad day.

Now, one thing I did not do, that I have done since day one, is strop my blade before use.

So guys, what do you think? I want to give it one more try, maybe tonight. I was thinking a new blade, strop it, and a bit more shave cream.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Don't know if this is it or not...but that Synthetic Brush from Traders Joe's isn't that great. Plus I find that TOBS creams work best with organic brushes...this just might be me...but...I hope it all works out for you.
 
Highspeedlane

Highspeedlane

Yes I have to agree with overthinking the shave as being a detriment.

As a veteran of the early cart razor era (70's and on) I would walk into the drug store and just buy whatever was on the shelf, a can of foam, slather it on and drag it off. If I got nicked or cut I would stick a piece of toilet paper on the wound while finishing up the morning routine and be done with it.

I have gotten some of my worst shaves when trying to over analyze the process. As much as I probably shouldn't admit this, I've also had several DE shaves following an evening of "social indulgence" and awakened the following morning sporting a flawless shave and had no recollection of doing so :)
 
ramsa

ramsa

TOBS Sandalwood is my "go to" cream, but I mix it up in a bowl with hot water on my brush.
Advice?
Hydrate your face before shaving.
Take your time.
Try a Superspeed or Tech?...
Good luck.
 
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